List of Power BI learning resources
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I have taken advantage of many free and paid resources the web has to offer over the years… blogs, YouTube videos, books, courses etc. I believe I have seen some of the best the web has to offer.
When I though of posting a list of resources, I though of Alex Powers and his ‘$0 dimes Power BI resource list’ post. He graciously agreed to share his links for this post, commenting that “A rising tide lifts all the boats”. Alex, I am grateful for your generosity in sharing this content.
My plan is to continue adding to this list; please feel free to share your own favorites. Our hope is that no matter what stage you are it in your journey, that you would find something here that takes your Power BI, DAX, and M skills to the next level.
- New to Power BI? Start here!
GUY IN A CUBE: 9 Things to Know…
MSFT Basics: Get started building with Power BI
MSFT Basics: Microsoft Power BI Guided Learning
MSFT Basics: Guy in a Cube – Easy and fun way to stay up to date and learn
Power Pivot Pro Basics: The book where it all started
Power Pivot Pro Basics: Free PDF reference card of functions
Radacad writes a lot, knows a lot, and freely shares his very practical and functional content. Enjoy.
RADACAD Intermediate: Download his free PDF E-books – Rookie to Rockstar
Check out the CSG Pro Business User Video Series
- DAX Intro: Know the learning curve
“DAX is simple, but it is not easy” – Alberto Ferrari
PowerPivotPro Intro: The ROI of learning and authoring in Power BI
SQLBI DAX Intro: Part 1:2 DAX 101 on YouTube, watch and re-watch!
SQLBI DAX Intro: Part 2:2 Advanced DAX, on YouTube, watch and re-watch, this stuff is gold!
SQLBI DAX Intro: Learn from the best! Incredibly rich and free video course resource
SQLBI Fundamentals: Row and Filter context; the heart of understanding DAX!
CSGPRO / Brian Grant – Fundamentals: A visual guide to Row vs. Filter Context
- DAX Functions – Explore and Learn:
DAX.GUIDE Documentation: The ultimate go-to for all of your DAX functions
Check out this DAX Glossary from our friends at Curbal – Videos Included!
- Advanced DAX
$ SQLBI Books: Definitive Guide to DAX 2nd Edition
SQLBI DAX Patterns: Get a head start on your DAX patterns
SQLBI Fundamentals: Best practice on choosing between a measure and a calculated column
Phil Seamark – 2 Part: DAX 1-Column Fusion & using Debug Measures!
SQLBI Pro Level: Learn the difference between these two column options
SQLBI Pro Level: Calculated Columns vs. Calculated Tables
MSFT Pro Level: The Vertipaq Engine. Learn it. Love it.
DAX Studio Pro Level: The best FREE tool on the internet – DAX Studio
SQLBI Pro Level: Various talks to help you tune your models
GITHUB Pro Level: Do crazy things with your data model – Tabular Editor
SQLBI DAX Formatting: Copy/Paste your DAX code and get perfect formatting!
SQLBI Data Models: Another great free video course. Learn how to model your data!
- Power Query Specific – Another super power skillset:
Do not, and I repeat, do not overlook the Power of Power Query and the M language!
Microsoft Documents Everything and anything.
$ Gil Raviv – Datachant.com: The book that got me hooked on M as a superpower!
Pro Level: Fantastic series for learning M from Ben Gribaudo
Pro Level: Deep Dive into M. Watch and re-watch with your family and friends
Pro Level: Power Query Microsoft paper; It’s a dry read, but so good
Pro Level: GITHUB Create custom connectors
Query Error Diagnostics: Chris Webb
- Community Learning from some of the best on YouTube:
Guy in a Cube YouTube Channel – Weekly videos and Saturday Live Chat!
Two Alex’s – Saturday Live Chat on topics and demos beyond the desktop
Ruth Pozuelo Martinez – Curbal.com posts great topics three days a week!
Sam McKay, CFA – Enterprise DNA, offers a ton of great Instruction
Mike Girvin – Excel is Fun! Can 650K subscribers be wrong??
- Interactive Data Storytelling – Reveal Insights beyond the data:
Storytelling MSFT: Jeff Lumpkin from Microsoft on Storytelling in Power BI
Storytelling Forbes: The essential data science skill everyone needs
Visual Analytics MSFT: Alberto Cairo – Data Insight Summit
StoryBI.com: My own experience in bringing insights as an added value.
- Career & Culture
BLOG: Building a Data Culture – Matthew Roche (SSBIPOLAR)
VIDEO: Building a Data Culture – Matthew Roche (SSBIPOLAR)
- Reporting Canvas:
KRATOSBI Report Canvas: Custom Themes. Using your brand colors = bonus points with your boss
SQLBI Using Visuals: Now you know
MSFT Report Canvas: Build your own custom Power BI visuals. (Low-to-no-code)
RADACAD Charticulator: Intro series – You’ll need it
MSFT Visuals: Build your own custom Power BI visuals (node.js)
- Architecture / Governance / Recommended Practices:
Community Presentation Materials from Melissa Coates
Technical Official Whitepapers: Taught me everything I know
Technical Adoption: Power BI Adoption Framework – It matters, and it’s where you start
Technical Subscriptions: Managing Premium Capacities
Technical Subscriptions: Optimizing Premium Capacities
- External Tools / Software:
Tools: Radacad Power BI Helper – It helps you
Tools / Software: BISM Normalizer – For all your XMLA needs
Alex Powers – Introduction to Tabular Editor
Tools / Software: Tabular Editor – Look behind the curtain
Tools / Software: Power Query SDK – Build your own custom connectors
Tools / Software: Power BI Data Connection file (PBIDS) creator
Categories
What a great resource for someone like me getting started and when I get more advanced. This will be a goto in the future. Thank you!
Ken
Hi Mark
You made a wonderful effort here to put together all these fine resources for learning/ mastering Power BI + DAX. I really appreciate it. however, I am a bit surprised not to see Enterprise DNA in the list, They have some great content ( free Power BI and DAX Courses ) not sure if you are familiar with Enterprise DNA and Sam Mackay. its worth checking it out.
Many Thanks
Hi Abdel, thanks for the comment. I totally agree, and had checked them out based on other comments received on LinkedIn as well. They are now on the list, and I agree, too much valuable content freely provided on YouTube to not be included on the list. Thanks again! Mark
Hi Mark,
Thanks for this, wonderful list,
I think you can include these 2 more YouTube channels as well.
1. Havens consulting (www.youtube.com/havensconsulting)
2. TAIK18 (www.youtube.com/taik18)
Regards,
Mohammed Adnan
Amazing list Mark, voilà !
What a brilliant resource list. Thanks Mark
lovely list – thanks for the effort
incredibly helpful
thanks for the effort in this.
Cool list!!! Thanks!!!
There are few resources that I really like that are not in your list:
For PowerQuery and DAX, Goodly (Chandeep Chhabra) on YouTube. He’s crazy good at PowerQuery and absolutely awesome at breaking it down so it’s easy to understand.
Then there’s Sam McKay (EnterpriseDNA on YouTube). He covers the gamut, but he’s mostly into DAX (I think).
Thanks for the feedback. I will look at Chandeep’s resources. Enterprise DNA (Sam McKay) is listed towards the bottom of the list.